A law to toughen the rules on poker machines passed by one vote following a last-minute change to give clubs an extra two years to install new limits on how much people can bet.

Independent
Tony Windsor
moved two amendments to the bill so that clubs with more than 11, but less than 20, poker machines need to be ready for the betting restrictions by 2020 and clubs with 21 or more machines will have until 2018. The amended legislation passed the House of Representatives 71 votes to 70 yesterday.

“If I was God, I would ban poker machines but that is not going to happen," Mr Windsor told Parliament as he foreshadowed the changes.

It is understood the government agreed to the changes on Thursday morning to avoid possible defeat of the key legislation that has dogged them for the past two years.

The legislation will also impose a $250 daily withdrawal limit at ATMs, electronic warnings to gamblers and a trial of mandatory loss-limit technology in the ACT.

Prime Minister
Julia Gillard
committed to a tougher poker machine reform to gain Tasmanian independent
Andrew Wilkie
’s support after the 2010 election. Mr Wilkie tore up his agreement with the government after it weakened the policy.

The original policy prompted a national clubs campaign worth millions of dollars; beer coasters were signed and dumped in plastic bags in the offices of independents and marginal-seat holders.

Mr Wilkie said he supported the watered down policy because it was better than no laws at all.

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Another independent,
Rob Oakeshott
, said the policy was not a “socialist leftie guard" reform and that there was only one reason someone would not support the amended laws – fear about ramifications from “vested interests".

Greens MP
Adam Bandt
said the party would reluctantly support the changes because that was necessary to support the bill, which Families Minister
Jenny Macklin
agreed had taken some time. Ms Macklin added that Mr Windsor’s changes would “give venues more time and give manufacturers more time".